


Fire in the Sky

by ArtemisPendragon (ArtemisPendragyn)



Series: Written in the Stars [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: (kind of), Angst, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Complete, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M, Misunderstandings, Not Actually Unrequited Love, One Shot, Post-Canon, Post-TRoS, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Relationship, Series, takes place a few days after the end of TROS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:27:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22791721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisPendragyn/pseuds/ArtemisPendragon
Summary: He didn't realize he'd zoned out until Finn was right in front of him, hand on his shoulder, expression tight with concern. "Hey, you okay? You look like you're about to pass out."Poe summoned the energy to smile again, to pat Finn's hand and say, "That would be a long trip to the bottom if I fell off this thing, buddy."Finn frowned. Apparently Poe's tone wasn't convincingly humorous, or maybe his expression betrayed how exhausted he was, how close to shattering like sparks across the city skies.And then Finn was smiling again, anddamn it,Poe thought,he's so beautiful.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Series: Written in the Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1638520
Comments: 6
Kudos: 107





	Fire in the Sky

**Author's Note:**

> This is a short prequel to my longer WIP "The Redshift Rebellion", but it can be read as a standalone piece as well. This is only my second time writing something for the sequel trilogy, so apologies if I fucked up any characterization or anything. Big love to y'all!

****

**Fire in the Sky**

Poe found them standing on top of the second highest skyscraper in Galactic City, wispy clouds gathering around the pointed spire, the vast metropolis spreading beneath their feet. Fireworks burst in the darkening sky, shattering sparks leaving trails of smoke like shooting stars. _Or wounded ships with broken wings, wreathed in fire, spiraling to the ground..._

He shook himself. There would be time for grief later. This was a time of celebration, of rebirth. He was going to be happy, damn it, even if only for one night.

"Hey." He slapped on a smile as Finn and Rey turned toward the sound of his voice. His friends were holding hands, fingers linked, shoulders touching. Jealousy flashed through him, hot as a brand. He set his jaw and hoped it didn't ruin his smile. 

"Poe!" Finn said, grinning. "Isn't it great up here? I'm pretty sure this is the best view in the city."

Rey's smile was more reserved. "I'm glad you found us. We looked for you earlier, but you weren't at the new base. Headquarters," she amended. 

"Oh, right!” There was a note of awe and relief in Finn’s voice. "Headquarters. No more secret bases. No more hiding. We did it. It's over."

Poe tried to feel relieved, tried to savor their victory like the others, but all he could think about was Snap going down in flames, of walking with Karé down darkened streets, letting her hold his hand so tight he thought the bones in his fingers would break. He didn't say, _I wasn't at HQ because I was trying to keep my team from falling apart. I wasn't at HQ because as soon as the first fireworks burst gold and red in the sky, I was back up there, and we lost so many people, and I didn't save them, and maybe I could have._

He didn't realize he'd zoned out until Finn was right in front of him, hand on his shoulder, expression tight with concern. "Hey, you okay? You look like you're about to pass out."

Poe summoned the energy to smile again, to pat Finn's hand and say, "That would be a long trip to the bottom if I fell off this thing, buddy."

Finn frowned. Apparently Poe's tone wasn't convincingly humorous, or maybe his expression betrayed how exhausted he was, how close to shattering like sparks across the city skies.

And then Finn was smiling again, and _damn it,_ Poe thought, _he's so beautiful._

"Yeah.” Finn squeezed Poe's shoulder then let go, turning back toward Rey. "Hey, if you fell I bet Rey would catch you. If you promise not to try any more crazy stunts with the Falcon, that is."

It was intended to be humorous, and Poe knew it. There was no ill intent, just playful banter between two friends. But in that instant he was furious, irrationally terrified, like the silken fabric of the world was slipping through his clenched fingers. "It's always about Rey," he muttered.

"What?" Finn sounded genuinely confused. "What about Rey?"

"Nothing." Another smile that felt a little too sharp around the edges. He looked past Finn to where Rey was watching the fireworks, a silhouette against the florescent horizon, confidence and elation written in the set of her shoulders, the upward tilt of her chin. _She's beautiful, too._ Poe's chest hurt, a dull ache like bruised ribs. _And she saved us. When it comes down to the bare facts, she saved us, and I should be fucking grateful._

And he was. But he was also bitter, angry, carrying the grief of a thousand families whose children and siblings and parents and lovers had fallen like shooting stars over Exegol. Like plumes of red and gold bursting in the eternal dark of space, brought down by blaster fire, by cannons, by bolts of blue lightning stunning their engines and boiling their blood.

"It's loud," Poe said.

Finn had returned to Rey's side, but hadn't retaken her hand. Poe didn't know he'd spoken aloud until his friends looked back at him, Finn with concern, Rey with understanding.

"Maybe you should go back to headquarters." Rey said gently. "Don't worry, you won't hurt our feelings if you'd rather be somewhere else right now."

Another flash of anger, of bitter jealousy burning in his blood. "Yeah," he said. "Think I was interrupting something anyway."

Before either of them could reply, he turned and crossed to the hatch door, throwing it open and descending into the steel guts of the silver skyscraper.

* * *

Finn found him hours later sitting on his bed in his new top-floor apartment, head down, hands gripping his upper arms, knuckles pale and breath shaky.

"Hey," Finn said. "You left the door open."

Poe felt a flash of embarrassment. _I wanted you to find me,_ he didn't say. Instead, he said, "Yeah, well, I'm trying not to shut myself off from the world. I want my team—my friends—to know I'm available if they wanna talk. Or just... I dunno. Be together." His words tripped over each other, falling clumsily off his tongue. He was drunk, but at least he'd been drinking with Jess instead of alone.

"That's a great idea," said Finn. "You mind if I come sit with you?"

"Please," Poe said, a bit too desperately. He covered it with a nonchalant smile, raising his head and taking a few even breaths. If Finn noticed anything was off, he didn't mention it. Poe was achingly grateful for that fact. The last thing he needed right now was pity.

Finn crossed the room (there was so much space, more than Poe had ever had to himself) and sat on the edge of the bed. His shoulder brushed Poe's, and Poe tried not to read into it at all.

"So," Finn said after a long beat of quiet. Quiet except for the distant hum of the city, of airborne cars and people cheering in the streets. "You wanna talk, or is this more of a sit-in-silence kind of a situation?"

"Whatever you want, buddy," Poe said automatically. "You're the one who came to me."

"I'm worried about you." Finn said. Although he wasn't looking at him, Poe could tell he was frowning. "Up on the Spire, you seemed... I dunno. Off."

Poe laughed. He was pleased with how real it sounded. "I'm good. I'm so good. We won, remember?"

"Do you?"

The question caught Poe off guard. He bit his lip and tilted his chin up, looking out through tinted windows at the glorious sprawl of Coruscant. He swallowed a sigh. "How could I forget? Listen to those fireworks. Someone's burning a lot of credits on pretty lights right now."

"Yeah, I guess. But they make people happy."

"Not everyone," Poe said. He felt Finn's gaze on the side of his face and swallowed, ducking his head again. He pressed both palms to his eyes so hard he thought they'd leave bruises. "Sorry. It's just... Snap. I can't believe he's gone. And all the others, and Karé is..." He trailed off and sighed, shaking his head. "Everyone's celebrating, and that's great. That's fine. But shooting stars aren't always lucky, y'know?"

“Huh.” Finn was silent for a long moment. “I mean, I don’t get what this has to do with shooting stars, but I do know that you're drunk, and tired, and honestly getting an actual night of sleep would probably help. I'm not saying it'll fix anything, but it'll help. Trust me."

Poe leaned against Finn, resting his head on Finn's shoulder. He closed his eyes. "I trust you," he said.

"Okay, then. Get some sleep. You know where to find me if... I dunno. If you need anything, I guess?"

"Thanks," Poe slurred as Finn stood up, one hand on Poe's shoulder. "Seriously, Finn. You're a good guy. I'm lucky to know you."

"You too." Finn crossed to the door, his voice echoing in the empty room. Poe intended to get some furniture to make his new home less barren, but right now he was too tired to care about aesthetics, or lack thereof. "'Night, Poe,” Finn said.

"Hey, Finn," Poe called after him, falling back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. For a moment the little bits of crystal embedded in the stone tiles glimmered like stars in the silver streetlight slanting through the windows. "What were you gonna tell Rey?"

But Finn was already gone. Poe was alone.

Turning over, he dragged himself onto the bed, curled up, and focused on breathing. He stayed there until night surrendered to day, until the last bursts of red and gold evaporated in the light of dawn. He stayed there until he heard laughter in the halls, revelers returning from a night of drinking and celebration. 

_What were you gonna tell Rey?_

As if he didn't know. As if he hadn't always known.

Sighing, he forced himself to get up and cross to the window. To watch the sky bloom into morning colors, a flag unfurling over a new day. _We won,_ he reminded himself. _It's over._

One last burst of fire in the sky, and then silence. _Not all shooting stars are lucky._

He was lucky. He was the luckiest star in a sky full of billions. _We made it,_ he thought, and for the first time since the war ended, he felt light, almost giddy. _We're gonna be okay._

And for one bright, shining moment, he let himself believe it.


End file.
